GWEN TAYLOR JOINS THE CAST OF EASTENDERS

Gwen Taylor is to join the cast as Stuart and Callum Highway’s grandmother, Violet Highway.

The BBC tease: With her quick wit and hard facade, Violet is sure to make someone even as tough as Ben Mitchell squirm. She hasn’t spent much time with her grandsons in the past but there is a big heart buried, albeit very deep, so perhaps her boys might need her more than they realise.

Gwen said: "I remember when the first episodes of EastEnders launched and I was desperate to be in it. Now after all these years, here I am playing a wonderful character. It’s fantastic and the cast are great, everybody has treated me so well and I feel extremely welcome."

Executive Producer Jon Sen added: "Having Gwen join the show is an honour. She’s the perfect actress to play the multi-faceted Violet, a grandmother not to be messed with...

"Stuart and Callum are sure to find this out the hard way when she arrives in Walford for Callum’s big day. They’ll no doubt be wanting her visit to be fleeting but Violet definitely has other ideas. We welcome Gwen to Walford and look forward to the audience watching her make her mark."